Few looks for Williston-Elko's Bush

Not every recruiting story picks up steam with every snap of the season.

Williston-Elko's Raphael Bush ran for 1,802 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior. Bush, at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, was one of the top seniors in the state at the running back position.

He was poised to use his 4.49-speed in the 40-yard dash to push his career totals to almost 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. That was not enough for the Clemsons and the Virginia Techs, who had casual interest at the beginning of the season.

That's partly because Bush lacks ideal size. The typical running back the four major Division I-A schools in the area signed over the past two seasons is just as fast, but an inch taller and 25 pounds heavier than Bush. But Bush's ability to attack gaps should have been enough for a few Division II programs around the region.

Then, a dislocated elbow in the third week of the season happened. Bush missed six games and the heart of the season. As soon as the bandage came off the elbow, Bush was ready to go.

"When he could play he hit the ground running," Williston-Elko coach Paris Mason said. "He worked his lower body and ran when he could to stay in shape. He didn't miss a beat off what he was. Raphael ran for 170 yards in our playoff game against St. John's."

But momentum and marketing are powerful tools in recruiting.

Bush was without those, plus he was from a small Class A school and not from a powerful region.

"It's my job to help the kid as much as I can," Mason said. "I've mailed out tons

of film."

The only interest in Bush has been an unofficial visit to Division II North Greenville.

"I don't understand it," Mason said. "What else does a player have to do when he dominates his level and has most of the tools. Forget offers. This kid isn't getting the looks. Whoever takes a chance on Raphael and our receiver Terrence Odom is going to get a diamond lying in the rough."

VISITATIOIN PARADE: Greenbrier's Eugene Rogers is scheduled to visit Liberty this weekend and Navy next weekend.... City standouts Larry Knight from Glenn Hills and Butler's Tyrese Harris were scheduled to visit Central Michigan this weekend. Both also have received attention from Charleston Southern.... Evans' Cheng Ho is still on the recruiting board at Oregon but is still awaiting his first Division I-A offer. There's a chance he could be a preferred walk-on at Georgia. Ho has impeccable academic credentials.... Blackville-Hilda standout Tharry Salley is deciding between offers from Furman and Georgia Southern. He's visited Furman last weekend and is at Georgia Southern this weekend.... Harris' Butler teammate Antuanne Kerr is a strong candidate to attend Albany State. It is believed that he will have a chance to play basketball and football at the school.

LANEY PROSPECTS: Curtis Sapp has taken an official visit to Division I-A Ball State. He is sorting that offer with interest from several Division II schools.

Laney running back Wayne Canty's recruiting hopes soared with a score of almost 1,000 on the SAT. It's opened the door to several Division II schools. Standout defensive tackle Corvey Irvin also has an offer from South Carolina State, along with an offer to play for Georgia Military College and sign at a big-time school in two years. Other schools after the

6-foot-4, 260-pounder are West Georgia and Fort Valley State.

Quarterback Dominique Walker has an offer to play at Albany State, along with several other teammates including Canty, Irvin, Sapp and Robert Dunn.

Dunn has received more than casual interest from Division I-A schools like Maryland and Cincinnati. He's also been offered by Division I-AA South Carolina State. Albany State, Fort Valley State and Valdosta State have also offered.

NO CHANGES: North Augusta standout C.J. Byrd did not waver when he learned about defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder's flight to the NFL.

"That's not me," Byrd said. "I'm a Georgia guy, I'm a Bulldog. That's not changing.... The only thing I am curious about is who my new position coach is going to be."

Georgia's new defensive coordinator is Willie Martinez. He had coached Georgia's defensive backfield since Mark Richt arrived in Athens. Byrd took his official visit to Georgia this weekend.

"I'm not worried," Byrd said. "I just want to know who my position coach is going to be. That's all. I'm a Dog. Count on that."

Marcus Washington, Georgia's other area commitment, also appears to be unfazed by the move.

"I'm a little nervous now," George Washing¤ton, Marcus' father, said this week. " I don't think this changes things with (Marcus).... I really liked coach Van Gorder. He coached the linebackers at Georgia. He was going to be Marcus' position coach, too."

Reach Jeff Sentell at (706) 823-3425 or jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.